Multiple switch



Dec. 13, 1938. MANLEY 2,140,296

MULTIPLE SWITCH Filed March 8, 1955 vmum;

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INVENTOR 1 :5 Z/V/VALA'X ATTORN EY Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE SWITCH Lee L. Manley, Philadelphia, Pa.,assignor, by mesne assignments, to Hugh H. Eby, Inc., Phinlgdelphia,Pa., a. corporation of Pennsylva Application March 8, 1935, Serial No.9,995

2 Claims. (01. 200-7) This invention relates to multiple switches andFig. 3 represents a vertical section, taken on particularly to devicesfor controlling a plurality line 3-3 of Fig. l, and of possiblyindependent circuits in predetermined Fig. 4 represents a diagrammaticplan of the synchronism. power switch.

It is among the objects of the invention; to In some respects thisinvention comprises an provide a multiple switch arranged to cut on orimprovement on a multiple circuit switch shown off a power supply andsimultaneously to conin my earlier filed application, Ser. No. 751,679,trol other circuits; to provide a multiple cirto which reference may behad for details not cuit switch arranged to effect a plurality ofseotherwise recited here.

lected circuits under a predetermined make or A common control shaft Iis journalled in the in break power switch condition; to improvemetallic sleeve H, which latter supports the inswitches generally; toprovide a multiple switch sulating stator plate l2, made of suchmaterial as arranged for increase in the number of selected a phenoliccondensation product. Stator plate circuits if desired; to provide aselector switch 12 engages a plate [3 of a frame 39, and is enand apower switch mechanically interlocked so gaged by a washer l4, held byspun end l5 of that the power control may be effective during sleeve II.Washer I4 may have a stop IE to any part of the selector switchmovement; to abuttingly receive a stop arm or lug, to be deprovlde meansto control in a predetermined scribed, if this should be founddesirable. Almanner the make and break of a power supply though but onestop I6 is shown it will be underand simultaneously to control othercircuits which stood that there will preferably be two in arcumay beonly indirectly coupled to the power line, ate y Spaced relation (notshown)- A p as through vacuum tubes for instance; to provide i g lug l1anchors Washer H to p a means for effecting a selection of a pluralityof Shaft I0 has an end of reduced diameter as circuits under apredeterminedly controlled at l8 upon W ch a Washer 9 s mounted havingpower line condition; to provide a combination the depe g p arm 20 angedto 5 of a selector or wave band switch and a power engage the stop Hi tolimit the arcuate movement switch mechanically connected and interlockedof the shaft and associated parts as predeterso that positive control ofthe power switch may m ed y desired- Reduced e d 18 0f t e s a t befixed during any part of the motion of the circarries the rotor plate 2|held rigidly to the shaft cuit selector; to provide a combined power andby the washer 22 and riveted end 23 of the shaft. wave band selectorswitch particularly useful in Rotor plate is of Such insulating materials radio circuits; to provide a combined selector may be found mostdesirable. switch with a plurality of circuits, and a power PreferablyStator plate I2 is Provided W th lator line switch so arranged that thepower may eral flattened parallel edge 24, to secure desired be thrownon or off at any predetermined posmallness of the unit, unless thenumber of cirsition of the selector switch; to provide a comcuits to becontrolled should require a larger bined power switch and selectorswitch which area in which case the stator p te y be round lattercontrols a. plurality of circuits so arranged annular- According to thedisclosure of t that the selector switch can be moved through aaforesaid application, one end of the Stator Plate cycle of continuouslyprogressing selector switch s provided W a plurality of Contact elementsactions despite the actuation of the power switch lustratively numbered25, 21, Q 29 and at any desired point in aid cycle; to provide Each(EOIitaCt, again purely lllustratively, switch means to establish agiven power situacomPnses a termmal end a area tion during selectionfrom several selected cir- Sectmn 32 disclosed, top of stator and ancults; and many other objects and advantages inner clenched terminal 33.Obviously there may be as many contacts 25, 26, etc. as may be desired,and in some cases a fewer number will be initially provided, but withthe apertures through which they are threaded left open for futurecontact insertion as may be subsequently desired. For purposes of thisapplication it will be understood that a pair of contacts, as 25 and 26,may

be in a given circuit to be selected for certain purposes and which isclosed when the contactor 4|, to be described, bridges across bothcontacts.

as will become more apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of this description:

Fig. 1 represents a top plan of a compound switch according to oneillustrative form thereof.

Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section through the illustrative form ofswitch shown in Fig. 1, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 3,

Contacts 25 and 2'! as a pair may either control another circuit, whensuitably bridged by a contactor, or they may lie in different circuitsso that bridging across contacts 26 and 21 affects no circuit. Thencontacts 21 and 24 may form the next circuit when suitably bridged, andso on. The arrangement is preferably an interlocking of circuits suchthat movement of the bridging contactor to bridging engagement withcontacts 2! and 28, controls a circuit, engagement with contacts 20 and21 controls another circuit, engagement with contacts 21 and 28 controlsanother circuit and so on. For certain purposes additional contactelements 34, ll, 36, 37, 28 and 39 may be radially disposed on theopposite end of stator plate l2, preferably but not necessarily indiametrical alignment with the respective contacts 25, 26, etc. Thesecontact elements may either be real contacts disposed in circuits, forpurposes of control thereof, or they may be merely dummies orabbreviated contacts cut 01! as shown at 40 in Fig. 3.

The rotor plate 2| carries the bridging contact element 4| as set forthin the aforesaid application, spring pressed to engage the pairs ofcontacts 25 and 26, etc., and arranged to wipingly engage such pairs ofstationary contacts, as the rotor plate is swung on the axis of shaft i0through torque on said shaft, as will be understood. In the usual orpreferred case there will be but a single wiping contact 4| in the rotorplate on one side of the axis of shaft ID, and for this reason the rotorplate may be relatively long and narrow as by being terminated laterallyin parallel edges 42. It will be obvious that there might equally wellbe two or more of such wiping contacts, so that there would be aplurality of circuits selectively simultaneously controlled according tothe oscillations of the rotor plate on and with shaft ill. The wipingcontact means 4| may therefore be a two-position contact wiping on andoff only by movement relative to a cornmon polar contact, as 26, or maybe a multiple circuit contact arranged to progressively control aplurality of successive circuits as it advances step by step throughmore than one step.

For several reasons it is desirable that a second resilient wipingcontact 43 be disposed at the opposite end of the rotor plate fromcontact 4|, to bear upon the real or false contact elements 34, 35,etc., and to function as a wiping contact or as a balancing registeringelement according to whether or not the radial contacts 34, etc. controlelectrical circuits. Obviously the provision of the second contactequidistant from the axis of the shaft with the first contact causesbalance of the spring urge axially of the shaft to prevent lateralbinding or wear on the shaft It. The second contact engaging the blindcontacts also gives. an increased snappy indexing of the step by stepaction to insure the some contact resistance for each circuit.

It will be understood that there will always be at least two alternativepositions for the rotor relative to the stator, with the wiping contact4| engaging selectively one pair or another pair of contacts from atleast three contacts. Obviously with a larger number of fixed contactsthere may be a greater number of wiping elements 4| so thatsimultaneously two or more pairs of fixed contacts might be bridged bythe rotor carried elements 4|. Obviously certain of the contact elements25, 28, etc., may be blind and have no circuit connections ifdesired,according to the demands of the situation.

It is frequently desirable or necessary that control of a power line besynchronized with the actuation of a selected set of contacts of aplurality of circuits. The power line may or may not have any directelectrical connection with the plurality of circuits simultaneouslycontrolled and the power line control need not be so disposednecessarily as to control the power line at the beginning or ending ofthe switching cycle or at any given instant or point in or relative tothe selection of a given circuit or plurality of circuits out of alarger number. It is only essential to the broader aspects of thisinvention that the power line switch be actuated at some portion of thecycle of actuation of the selector switch in one direction, and beactuated in the opposite direction at some portion of the return cycleof actuation of the selector switch.

A power or line switch of any desired sort, such as 44, which is merelydiagrammatically shown in the drawings, is mounted on frame 24, aprolongation of bracket or plate element II, and includes terminals 45,40, and 46a to which power connectors are to be secured. The switch hasan oscillatable element 48 having a pivot 41, and is provided preferablywith spaced lugs or cheeks 50 and II having openings between the checksto permit the entry and exit of a rigid stud 52, carried by the rotor 2I, at a convenient point predetermined with relation to wiping contact4|, according to requirements of the combined switch of this invention.It is convenient to provide stud 52 as a continuation of the shank ofthe wiping contact 43 arranged to register with the blind or actualsecondary contacts 24, 34, etc.

I claim:

1. In switches, a stator having contacts, a rotor, a pin on the rotor, awiping contact mounted on one end of the pin in position to engagestator contacts, a power switch fixed relative. to the stator, anactuator operatively associated with the power switch and having aportion in the path of movement of said pin in position to be abutted bythe pin to actuate the power switch in prede termined relative angularpositions of the rotor and stator.

2. A multiple switch comprising a stator having a face, a plurality ofcontacts radially disposed to overlie the stator face, a rotor having apair of faces substantially parallel with the stator face and disposedwith one face in confronting spaced relation thereto, a plurality ofaxially resilient wiping contacts in the said space, one wiping contacthaving a pin extending through the rotor beyond the other face thereof,a power switch mounted on and fixed relative to said stator and having adepending portion extending beyond the free end of said pin toward thesaid other face of said rotor in position to be engaged by said pin inthe oscillations of said rotor, and means for oscillating said rotor tocause predetermined selection of contacts bridged by said wipingcontacts.

mam.

